Joyce Baxter works on a puzzle with Ken Gane in a common room of the Caledon house they now call home. They share a laugh and talk about living in the brand new residence, which is bright and decorated with modern furnishings.

Up until the fall, Baxter, 87, lived in her own home in Caledon on the family farm she shared with her husband and where they raised their family. But two years ago, her husband died after a lengthy illness and her family started to have concerns about her living at home alone.

“The kids were worried about me,” says Baxter, who says she considered another retirement residence in Orangeville but it wasn’t quite right for her. “It was too much like a nursing home. I like the sense of independence here.”

Baxter still visits her family farm now and then but she feels content and comfortable to be in the secure environment at Abbeyfield Caledon, a house that offers community-based shared non-profit housing for seniors.

This is Caledon’s first Abbeyfield house, a 12-room residence that provides accommodation for independent seniors. There are currently three residents living in the home.

Abbeyfield is a non-profit housing model for seniors that first started in the late 1950s in England. It offers residents the privacy of their own suite and support of a house manager and cook without the institutional feel of assisted living.

Residents must be able to look after themselves and not require medication or other regular medical attention.

“I used to do a lot of walking on the farm, but I have back trouble now and can’t do that. But when the weather gets better I look forward to going outside,” says Baxter. “In the spring we will have our own place to garden and that will be great.”

Baxter’s daughter visits her frequently and her other daughter, who lives in Calgary, can stay overnight on the sofa in her Baxter’s suite when she comes to vist.

Gane, 80, also moved into Abbeyfield Caledon in October. He had been living in another location with his wife who had Alzheimer’s. “I like this better,” says Gane.

The house, located about an hour northwest of Toronto in the rural Town of Caledon, consists of two pods of six rooms each, a kitchen and common room as well as veranda and garden space where residents can plant flowers and vegetables.

“The goal is to recreate a family home environment that is non-institutional,” says Gail Grant, vice president of Caledon Abbeyfield. “Studies have shown that by providing companionship to seniors who might otherwise live alone, it can improve their quality of life and prolong life.”

While many of the residents of Abbeyfield homes are still fit to stay in their own homes, they often long for companionship.

“Many people come to us because their kids were getting worried about them but they weren’t ready to really be in dependent living facilities,” says Grant.

The Abbeyfield model has been in existence for over 50 years with more than 1,100 houses worldwide in 17 countries. In Canada, there are 33 houses with five in Ontario including locations in Toronto, Durham, Guelph and Ottawa. Some are developed from existing homes, while others, like the one in Caledon, are new construction.

The Abbeyfield concept started in England in 1956 when Maj. Richard Carr-Gomm retired from the British Army and bought a rundown six-room house in south London and brought together three others to live with him. He discovered loneliness was a huge problem among seniors he met. An Abbeyfield Society was formed and more houses were opened. From there, the trend caught on in the rest of the world.

The houses are run on a not-for-profit basis under the management of a volunteer board of directors.

The monthly cost of living at an Abbeyfield home is divided equally between the residents and include the expense of the mortgage on the property, the salary of the house manager, meals, parking, access to laundry and utilities (except cable and phone). A storage locker is also made available for each resident. For Abbeyfield Caledon residents the monthly occupancy cost is currently $1,800 a month.

Each suite is designed to be barrier free and features large picture windows with a view out to birdfeeders and the garden area. The suites have heated hardwood floors in the bedsitting rooms and heated ceramic floors in the large ensuite bathrooms that offer walk-in showers. Radiant heat is also in place in the common areas.

The suites are large enough to have a designated sleeping and living area.

The Abbeyfield Caledon home is located in a residential neighbourhood, close to stores, doctors’ offices and restaurants.

The house, which opened Oct. 1, was built on land provided by Peel Housing. Construction costs were covered by the Region of Peel through affordable housing funding.

The entire house sits on 10,000 square feet and includes accommodation upstairs for the house manager, Gillian DePass, who cooks two meals a day for the residents and keeps the common areas maintained. All resident rooms and common areas are located on the main floor.

“Gillian is just wonderful,” says Baxter. “You know she’s there if you want her. She makes some lovely meals for us. It’s nice to have someone else do the cooking for a change. She’ll even bring a meal to a resident in their room if they aren’t feeling well.”

Residents are responsible for getting their own breakfast in the bright open kitchen, which is located just off a large common area great room, which has a fireplace and piano.

DePass has weekends off and she is relieved by another part-time house manager.

“I’ve worked for other long-term care facilities but this is a much more relaxed atmosphere. And with fewer people they get my full attention,” she says.

And as time goes by, DePass says she gets a better feeling for what everyone likes to eat and plans menus accordingly.

“I know that Joyce likes rice but Ken likes roasted potatoes, so you find out what everybody likes and try to accommodate everyone,” she says.

Making sure seniors have proper nutrition is another cornerstone of the Abbeyfield model. As people age, even if they are healthy, they often don’t eat well enough to ensure they stay well, especially if they live alone. By having an in-house cook to prepare balanced meals, residents are more likely to stay healthier, longer.

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